Nine miles (14.4km) from its source, the River Eden reaches Kirkby Stephen, a small town at the centre of big walking country. Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route and Lady Anne’s Way go right through Kirkby Stephen while nearby are the Eden Way, Pennine Journey, Dales High Way and Yoredale Way.
A few miles north of Kirkby Stephen is Brough whose location, close to the Pennines, helped it to become a major centre for the sale of livestock in the 18th and 19th centuries.
West along the A66 is Appleby, once the county town of Westmorland, now best known for the horse fair which draws thousands of people here every June. The A66 by-passes Appleby but the River Eden loops right through it before heading north west towards the Solway.
As it does so it passes villages like Temple Sowerby, Great Salkeld, Kirkoswald, Armathwaite and Wetheral. Close to the river - for much of its way - is the Settle to Carlisle railway line while to the east is the long, loping outline of the Pennines.
